ELKTON, MD. – There are ZERO confirmed cases of the Novel Coronavirus in Cecil County at this time.

As of this morning, there are 3,774 confirmed cases in the United States, and 37 confirmed cases in the state of Maryland in the counties of Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Carroll, Charles, Harford, Howard, Montgomery, Prince George’s, Talbot, and Baltimore City.

Cecil County Government is working closely with local agencies and organizations to provide as much information as possible concerning the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) and how it is affecting our community. In an effort to provide our citizens with a thorough, consist message, a list of county-wide closures and updates is available on the Cecil County Government website at www.ccgov.org.

As of this morning, the following information was provided by local public information officers throughout Cecil County:

Cecil Transit
In order to ensure that the Taxi Voucher Program’s customers are able to maintain a sufficient supply of vouchers for their vital transportation needs, April’s order forms will be mailed out early, by Wednesday, March 18th. Customers will be permitted to purchase April vouchers immediately upon receipt of their order form. Order forms will not be reprinted in the transit office.

The amount of vouchers each participant will be able to purchase in April has been increased from ten to fifteen books. However, Cecil Transit implores customers to utilize their vouchers wisely as it is expected that the annual supply of vouchers will be diminished by May 1st. Additional vouchers may not be available until July 1st.

ChristianaCare, Union HospitalAs of March 13, 2020, ChristianaCare, Union Hospital (CCUH) has put into place temporary restrictions for patient visitors to all care locations. As the coronavirus COVID-19 status continues to evolve rapidly, visitor restrictions are subject to change.

Beginning Monday, March 16, 2020, visiting hours will be restricted to 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

All visitors must check-in at the front lobby

Visitors are limited to one visitor per patient (one designated individual)

Exceptions to these restrictions may be made in specific circumstances (including end-of-life care and labor and delivery, including professional support person or postpartum helper) and with prior approval from the Chief Medical Officer

No visitors are permitted under the age of 18 unless they are parents of hospitalized children

No one with flu-like symptoms

No one who recently traveled overseas

These temporary restrictions protect patients, their loved ones, and health care workers during this time of coronavirus, influenza, and other respiratory illnesses circulating in our community.

To Safeguard From Coronavirus, ChristianaCare Cancels Community Events:
As ChristianaCare, Union Hospital works to protect our community, our patients, and our caregivers from coronavirus COVID-19, we are cancelling all community events at our facilities until further notice. Examples of community events include classes, lectures, meetings, and conferences, as well as events ChristianaCare is hosting for outside organizations.

This step is designed to reduce the likelihood of community spread of the disease, protect our caregivers, patients, and vulnerable populations, and preserve health care resources to maintain readiness to care for our community.

ChristianaCare, Union Hospital is in the process of informing organizations about this decision, and also exploring options for virtual meetings.

Circuit Court
Chief Judge Barbera issued an updated administrative order this evening (03/16/2020). Circuit Court will continue to be open for limited hearing types and staffing will be reduced to essential personnel. Staff will be divided into teams and rotated over the next three weeks to minimize exposure and keep some staff out of the building in the event of an exposure event within the courthouse.

The building will remain closed to the general public, but individuals seeking services for the hearing types outlined in the administrative order will be permitted to conduct business with the court.

Going forward, Circuit Court will work with the Cecil County Department of Emergency Services to implement temperature and symptom screenings for entry into the courthouse. Access to the building will continue to be limited and will be evaluated upon arrival.

If you have received a jury summons, you should continue to follow the protocols stated on your jury summons form and call in each day.

Register of Wills
The Register of Wills and staff will continue to be available by phone to assist with questions: 410-996-5330. Answers to many questions can be found online at: http://registers.maryland.gov/main/cecil.html.

Cecil County Parks & Recreation
All Cecil County outdoor public parks remain open at this time. Playground equipment is being disinfected daily; however, families should continue to use caution with use.

Cecil College
On behalf of Dr. Mary Way Bolt:

Cecil College continues to take every precaution to ensure the safety and well-being of our students, employees, and the community during this difficult time. In addition to the closure for the week of March 16, and out of an abundance of concern for the continued good health of our community, the College has made the decision to move all credit classes online for the weeks of Monday, March 23 through Sunday, April 5. Labs and onsite clinical rotations are suspended during the week of March 23 through April 5 and further updates will be provided as available. Career and Community Education classes will also suspend instruction of non-credit classes and training for the weeks of Monday, March 23 through Sunday, April 5. Non-credit courses that are currently using Blackboard may move to online education, if applicable to the educational program.

Week of March 16: College closed for the week.

Weeks of March 23 through April 5: All credit classes move online for the week, Career and Community Education/workforce training classes cancelled for the two weeks. Labs and onsite clinical rotations suspended for the two weeks.

Faculty and staff will be working remotely during the weeks of March 23 through April 5, as closing the College campus will allow for the social distancing recommended to address the COVID-19 health crisis. Resources and contact information are provided in the Frequently Asked Questions section on this page.

Cecil County Public Schools
In response to COVID-19 all Maryland public schools will be closed for students through March 27th.

Offices and schools are completely closed to staff through March 23rd. Administration will telework during that time. Custodial staff will report on the 23rd to begin the process to disinfect all schools and classrooms.

Cecil County Elections Office
Due to the public health emergency and guidelines set by our Governor to help slow the spread of the virus, the Cecil County Elections Office has adjusted office procedures and will work remotely.

If you need help from the Election office, please call 410-996-5310 or email voting@ccgov.org. Someone will answer the phone, or respond to your email, as soon as possible.

All Election Judge Training classes are cancelled at least thru the end of March.

Cecil County Department of Social Services
DSS continues to operate as usual; however, to limit face-to-face contact, it is requested that call-ins be made whenever possible. The number for DSS is 410-996-0100. Valuable information can also be found online at: http://dhr.maryland.gov/local-offices/cecil-county/.

Cecil County Help CenterThe Cecil County Help Center remains open to the public. Hours of operation are Monday – Friday, 9am – 4:30pm. The Help Center is taking the necessary precautions to prevent the spread of COVID-19. As such, the number of guests is limited to no more than 6 at one time. Donations from the general public have been discontinued at this time and the Thrift Shop is closed until further notice. Please also note that the March 26th produce distribution has been cancelled.

Cecil County Department of Land Use & Development Services
Pursuant to the recent outbreak of the Novel Corona virus (COVID-19), the Cecil County Department of Land Use & Development Services (LUDS) requests that that all citizens conduct their business with us using remote methods such as e-mail, fax or the telephone. A physical visit to the County Administration building should be done sparingly and as a last resort. This request is being made to protect our employees and the general public and to ensure yours and our health and welfare are maintained to the maximum extent practicable.

There is a plethora of land use related information on the website including maps, regulations, applications and various forms. The LUDS GIS tool is also available to you at cecilmaps.org. Additionally, attendance at public meetings will need to be limited. If you desire to comment on an item on the agenda, you can send your comments in writing either by regular mail or email and they will presented to the relevant board or commission as if you provided oral testimony at the meeting.

The Division of Permits & Inspections can be reached at 410-996-5235. The fax number for Permits & Inspections is 410-620-4263.

The Division of Planning & Zoning and the Division of Plans Review can be reached at 410-996-5220. The fax number for Planning & Zoning and the Division of Plans Review is 800-430-3829.

Thank you for your cooperation as we work together to prevent the spread of the virus.

The Cecil County Government webpage will be updated as changes are received. Going forward, the most recent updates will be date/time-stamped and added to the top of the page. Please check back frequently. If there are any questions, please contact Jennifer Lyall at pio@ccgov.org.

Cecil County Election Office
Election Judges training classes scheduled for the week of March 16th are cancelled. More information will be provided soon.

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Cecil County Council
The Council work session of March 17, 2020 has been rescheduled from 9am to 6pm in order to honor the Governor’s and County Executive’s instructions to minimize social interaction. The Council legislative session will follow at 7pm.

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Cecil Transit
Cecil Transit continues to monitor COVID-19 and will make the necessary adjustments to ensure that all buses are disinfected regularly and remain safe for our riders and drivers.

Volunteer transportation has ceased and only paid County drivers will be transporting at this time.

For the safety all, passengers who are ill, or who are experiencing any of the symptoms associated with the virus, should refrain from riding.

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Community Wellness Division
Program changes the Community Wellness Division of the Department of Community Services (DCS), have been initiated to uphold the health and well-being of our members, participants, volunteers and staff. The current COVID-19 health recommendations identify a need to minimize multi-person interactive exposure.

As you are well aware, our programs successfully and comprehensively serve significant numbers of Cecil citizenry. It is important that you and others know, that Cecil County Government and our Department of Community Services continue to work closely with our local, State and Federal partners to share information, make healthy decisions, practice heightened hygiene protocols, and are communicating regularly.

In of the light of the current health circumstances and due to an abundance of care and responsibility, the Community Wellness Division is making responsible and health-minded changes to many of our current processes and practices.

As of Friday March 13, 2020 the following programs have been temporarily suspended:

Home delivered meals are regularly provided to over 200 citizens who have completed the federal nutritional screening, and who score as nutritionally insecure or potentially malnourished. There are typically two methods for home delivery:

Volunteer/citizen delivery. Volunteers pick up meals from our vendor, Union Hospital, and manage eight different routes that cover 100 people, 3 times a week. They pick up two meals and they deliver them face-to-face throughout Cecil County.

Fresh, home delivery of meals arrive by Fed-Ex from an organization named Mom’s Meals.

To limit the face-to-face interaction between our volunteers and our seniors, all of the volunteer, home-delivered persons will receive Moms Meals starting March 20th. Emergency shelf stable meals were sent to their homes on Friday, March 13th to cover the interim.

On Monday, March 16th and Wednesday, March 18th, Community Services staff will cover the delivery of meals to all recipients. All of the individuals who receive meals will be contacted, along with their emergency contacts, to ensure that everyone is aware of the changes.

The Community Services staff will follow-up on delivery days to make sure there are no issues with deliveries or refrigeration.

Elkton Center members receive a Congregate Meal (one nutritionally-balanced, hot meal which meets regulations for the state and older adults) when they arrive at the center. With the temporary closing of the Elkton Center, our members were sent home, on Friday, March 13th, with 5 midday meals and they will be replenished (by staff delivery) at the end of next week as needed.

If there are questions about any of the County's nutrition programs, please contact the Community Wellness division at 410-996-8415.

The status of our programs will be evaluated regularly and updates will be made available.

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Cecil College
In response to the plan Governor Hogan announced on March 12 with the purpose of limiting the spread of COVID-19, Cecil College campuses will close on Friday, March 13 at 10:00 pm and will reopen on Monday, March 23 at 8:00 am.

As you are aware, the College had spring break scheduled for next week and students and faculty already planned to be off campus. However, closing all campuses to staff will allow for social distancing and cleaning to address the COVID-19 health crisis.

We will continue to monitor the situation throughout the week and update the college community as needed. We remain committed to maintaining a safe campus. Whether off-or-on campus, we encourage our Cecil College community to cooperate in taking steps to reduce the transmission of communicable diseases. Your well-being is our top priority. Please be reminded of the following:

Stay home when you are sick.

Wash your hands frequently with warm, soapy water for at least 20 seconds.

Cover your mouth with tissues whenever you sneeze, and discard used tissues in the trash.

Avoid people who are sick with respiratory symptoms.

Clean frequently touched surfaces.

Please reference the CDC website for health and travel recommendations related to COVID-19.

Cecil County Correctional Facility
The Cecil County Correctional Facility is taking many preliminary steps to keep our inmates and staff as safe as possible during the COVID-19 outbreak. We have spent the past several weeks preparing for the appearance of the virus in the Community and jail. Beyond stepping up cleaning and stocking supplies, some other preparations are taking place.

Effective immediately, March 13, 2020, inmate visitation is suspended. Access to the jail by volunteers/facilitators for all programs, including religious services, is also suspended until further notice.

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Parks & Recreation
Effective March 14, 2020 the Cecil County Parks and Recreation Department is suspending all programs and facility rentals until Friday, April 3. Any rental that cannot be rescheduled will receive a full refund.

The status of our programs will be evaluated regularly and updates will be made available.

All Cecil County outdoor public parks remain open at this time.

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Cecil County Public Schools
The Governor and State Superintendent announced that in response to COVID-19 all Maryland public schools will close beginning Monday, March 16 through March 27.

Please be sure to check out the latest Questions & Answers document regarding the Cecil County Public School closures enacted in response to COVID-19. http://ow.ly/C5JM50yLne8

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State’s Attorney’s Office
Due to the outbreak of COVID-19, the Maryland Judiciary has announced it is closing to the public effective March 16, 2020 until April 3, 2020.

The Office of the State's Attorney will continue to work closely with Cecil County Government and the Department of Emergency Services to ensure vital services offered by the County are maintained.

Please continue to monitor this page and other verified Cecil County Government pages for reliable information and updates about COVID-19.

To view the administrative order from Maryland Judiciary, please click here.

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Circuit Court
On Friday, March 13th at approximately 7:00 p.m., Chief Judge Barbera issued the Administrative Order on Statewide Judiciary Closing of the Courts to the Public Due to the COVID-19 Emergency.

The order directs that all court facilities will be closed to the public through April 3rd. It also specifies the core functions that will continue to take place daily, or as needed, within the Circuit Court.

~ Staff will continue to report to work at the direction of the County Administrative Judge.

~ Pleadings will continue to be accepted electronically, by mail, and in paper.

~ Circuit Court staff will also be available by phone to assist with questions during this time.

~ Anyone in need of a domestic violence protective order will be able to come to the Circuit Court and make that request.

The administrative order issued by Chief Judge Barbera can be found here.

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Solid Waste Division
In light of the statewide closure of agencies and schools, we know residents will have questions as to whether or not our facilities are closed. For now, all Cecil County Solid Waste Management Division facilities are open for normal operations. This includes the Central Landfill, Woodlawn, and Stemmers Run Transfer Stations.

Any closures will be announced via the county website, www.ccgov.org, and the Cecil County Government Facebook page.

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Cecil County Administration Building: Conference Rooms
Pursuant to precautionary measures that are being taken by County government related to COVID-19, all external usage of County Administration conference rooms is being suspended until further notice.

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Cecil County Public Library
In cooperation with statewide efforts to mitigate the spread of COVID-19, Cecil County Public Library will close all branches beginning Sunday, March 15th, and reopen on Monday, March 30th.

All library programs and meeting room bookings are cancelled until March 30. All fines will be waived during this closure. Community members can keep any materials currently checked out and return them when the library reopens.

We have a large variety of digital resources for all ages available for downloading 24/7 at home. We encourage you to use the Library’s digital streaming platforms to download free books, audiobooks, movies, tv shows, music, newspapers and magazines.

Community Services: Share The CAARE Conference
Effective, March 13, 2020, the 26th Annual Cecil County Caregiver Conference previously scheduled for Tuesday, April 14, 2020 has been postponed.

The Cecil County CAARE Committee is actively staying up to date on information surrounding the public health of our community. After taking the current public health recommendations from the Federal, Maryland, and Cecil County Government agencies into consideration, the Cecil County CAARE Committee has made the decision to reschedule the 26th Annual Caregiver Conference.

Although there are no confirmed cases of the Covid-19 virus in Cecil County at this time, we believe this decision will help prevent the potential spread of the virus to and focus on upholding the health and wellbeing of our community’s family caregivers, their loved ones and our professional community..
We have rescheduled the 26th Annual Caregiver Conference for Tuesday, October 6, 2020. Please save this date in your calendars, and stay tuned for more information!

Individuals who have already ordered tickets will receive an email with this information, and professionals who have purchased tickets will also receive detailed instructions on receiving a full refund for their tickets by their provided email.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us at (410) 996-5295 Option 1.